Board of Directors & Advisors
Mussab Ali
Former Jersey City School board president, a Harvard Law School graduate, and a dedicated champion of youth civic engagement. Mussab Ali has devoted his career to promoting educational equity, community involvement, and good public policy. His efforts have significantly impacted youth and community development.
Salaar Rabbani
Salaar is a proud UConn Graduate and Capital Markets Associate at JPMorgan Chase. Throughout his academic and professional career, he has had a passion for working with people and empowering individuals with the tools they need to succeed. As a member of the Board of Directors at ALI, he utilizes his skills as a strategist and leader to ensure ALI provides its students with a world class educational experience.
Yaseen Ali
Yaseen is a community activist who has built education programs focused on technical literacy in marginalized communities. In New Jersey he spent years implementing the ‘iPads for Residents’ program teaching developmentally disabled individuals in group homes how to use technology to improve fine motor skills, organization, and planning. He furthered these efforts in St. Louis, creating similar programs for individuals in senior living facilities.
He is currently an associate at McKinsey & Company in New York City.
Alizay Z. Maniya
Intashan Chowdhury
The youngest in the State of New Jersey and first of Bengali-American descent to ever do so, Intashan Chowdhury currently serves as the Administrator of Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
For the past seven years, Intashan has worked his way to become instrumental in local government, overseeing and managing day-to-day municipal operations, policy development and serving as a conduit between the mayor, borough council and departmental personnel ensuring proper and efficient administration of all city affairs for the residents of the Englewood Cliffs community.
Intashan has been a leading voice for modernization and innovation in the government sector and has begun to gain national recognition for his innovative approach and leadership skills.
Hana Memon
Tessa McSweeney
Joseph “Joe” McQueen
Joseph “Joe” McQueen is PSE&G’s Senior Regional Public Affairs Manager for State Governmental Affairs in Hudson County, a position he assumed in November of 2023. In his capacity, he collaborates with elected officials at the state, county, and municipal levels to navigate the complexities of PSE&G. This includes ongoing education and support in areas influenced by public policy, advocacy, government relations, sustainability, philanthropy, and corporate social responsibility. He is highly skilled in crafting and executing strategic public affairs and communications initiatives that support utility goals. His deep expertise in stakeholder engagement, community relations, and regulatory frameworks positions him as a key leader in strengthening PSEG’s relationships with diverse external partners.
Mr. McQueen has extensive experience in the Project & Construction Department, where he supported capital transmission investments as Manager of Public Affairs. He played a key role in leading internal teams in the development of effective operations and strategies aimed at achieving project milestones, while also educating and advocating for various project infrastructure initiatives. In addition, Joe has previously worked as a Project Consultant in the Business Customer Solutions Department and has an in-depth understanding of electric & gas operations.
Mr. McQueen holds Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Hampton University and a Master of Arts degree in Strategic Communication & Leadership from Seton Hall University.
Parker Stanberry
Leader, operator, consultant and mentor with 25+ years of business and entrepreneurial experience across hospitality, travel, real estate, finance and film. Passionate about the intersection of hospitality and living, and the power of entrepreneurship to unlock potential in people and communities. Living abroad and working in challenging industries and environments is both a cause and effect of my curiosity, growth mindset, and foundation of resilience and adaptability.
Most recently, Parker was the CEO of Oasis Collections, the first alternative accommodations brand, which he founded in Buenos Aires in 2008. Through his experiences as an international traveler, he identified a gap in the market for flexible accommodations with consistent brand standards. Oasis ultimately relocated to Miami and grew to 20 cities and 2,000+ units. Parker led the business through multiple phases over 15 years – from bootstrapped start-up to a strategic partnership with Hyatt, partial sale and restructuring, the pandemic, and eventual exit.
As an angel investor, mentor, board member and fractional executive, Parker’s companies span verticals including travel, hospitality, live events, real estate and consumer. Parker’s areas of focus include operations, growth, fundraising, cap table strategy, org design, operations, and strategic planning. He is a mentor at Endeavor and Second Century Ventures REACH, and a member of the Thayer Ventures Industry Advisory Board and several angel investor networks.
Sanat Karkat
Sanat Karkat is the Founder and CEO of UPROAR, a speaking agency that connects event planners to expert Muslim women speakers.
Beyond UPROAR, Sanat is the Donor Relations Senior Manager at Palestine Legal, an independent nonprofit organization that protects the civil and constitutional rights of people in the U.S. who speak out for Palestinian freedom. Sanat has served as the Philanthropy and Community Engagement Officer at the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), where she built and nurtured diverse supporter communities while expanding the organization’s philanthropic reach. Her expertise in fundraising and community mobilization was sharpened during her tenure as Northeast Regional Manager for Islamic Relief USA, where she previously worked as a Regional Events Coordinator. Sanat also played a pivotal role in program development at Sawa Organization in Ramallah, Palestine, designing initiatives to uplift marginalized Palestinian communities. In 2018, Sanat was elected Public Affairs Officer of the Deir Debwan Charity Organization (DDC), an American nonprofit uniting the Deir Debwan diaspora in service of their Palestinian village. In 2021, she made history by becoming DDC’s first female Vice President.
With a Master’s degree in Conflict Resolution from King’s College London and a certification in Fundraising Management from the Lilly School of Philanthropy in Indiana University, Sanat seamlessly blends advocacy, strategy, and execution to create meaningful impact. A true New Yorker with deep roots in Palestine, she keeps it real—whether securing the right speaker, mobilizing resources, or advancing Muslim representation in professional spaces. Sanat gets the job done—and she brings her community and heart with her.
Nafisa Saha
Nafisa Saha is an investment professional driven by a passion to help people, with a deep commitment to mentoring the next generation of diverse leaders. Currently an Associate at Advent International, Nafisa focuses on investments in the business and financial services sectors. Prior to joining Advent, she was an Analyst at M. Klein and Company, focused on advising M&A and capital markets transactions in the energy sector.
Throughout her career and education at Wharton, Nafisa has been a vocal advocate for gender equity in the financial industry, working to dismantle barriers for women entering the field. As the Chief Development Officer for Smart Women Securities, she designed and taught a 10-week investment seminar, equipping underclassmen with the technical toolkit and confidence to succeed in the industry. Additionally, as Vice President of Corporate Relations for Wharton Women, she spearheaded initiatives to connect emerging female talent with top-tier corporate sponsors, creating critical pipelines for professional growth. She continues to make mentorship a central pillar of her life, actively being involved in diversity and mentorship programs in her current and previous roles.